Researching Alpha

Many churches are currently offering a course entitled Alpha, accompanied by the apparently educational claim that it offers "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life."This article describes a recent piece of doctoral research designed to test that claim, and includes some of the main findings-primarily that the claim could only really be regarded as valid for those who already share the theological outlook of Alpha. The paper particularly draws attention to the difficulties of credibility which can emerge, evident during the fieldwork, when the church attempts to combine its educational and evangelistic tasks.